Glaslyn Ospreys has welcomed a special visitor from The Gambia.
Emmanuel Jatta, a research assistant and qualified bird ringer, is spending several days with the Glaslyn team during a four month visit to the UK as part of leading conservationist Dr Tim Mackrill’s Osprey Leadership Foundation work in Africa. Last year Glaslyn marked the legacy of iconic osprey Mrs G with a £2,500 donation to the foundation, which works to promote wildlife conservation with children and young people in The Gambia, one of the UK ospreys’ wintering grounds.
Mrs G was one of the UK’s most successful breeding female ospreys. She failed to return from migration in 2023.
Since 2010 Emmanuel has been involved with the Kartong Bird Observatory. He is a highly experienced bird ringer and is skilled in extracting birds from fishing nets – one of the perils for migratory birds in Africa.
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Already, while in the UK, Emmanuel has spent a month on Skokholm Island, off the Pembrokeshire coast, where he has been putting his ringing skills to good use. He is also spending time at birding projects in Suffolk and Scotland before going to the Isle of Wight to work with Dr Mackrill on the White-Tailed Eagle translocation project.
During his week at Glaslyn, Emmanuel will spend time at the Pont Croesor Visitor Centre meeting visitors and volunteers. Visits to other Welsh osprey projects have been arranged together with a trip to Bardsey Island and local attractions.
His visit also coincides with the days scheduled to ring this year’s Glaslyn Valley osprey chicks and he will be assisting ringing teams with this important work.
Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife Treasurer and volunteer Gwenan Williams, who has arranged the visit said: “We are delighted to welcome Emmanuel to the Glaslyn Valley and have a full and interesting programme arranged for him during his stay, thanks to the support of our volunteers and friends.
“We hope the visit will strengthen our links with important osprey conservation in Africa and how marvelous would it be if, back in Africa, Emmanuel sees one of the birds he has ringed in the UK!”